James Kicinski-McCoy is mom to Julian, Milla Plum, Birdie and Sailor, lives her days surrounded by her family, working from her Nashville home office and creating and editing beautiful content on Bleubird (@bleubird) and Mother (mothermag.com). She lives by the mantra “it will all work out” and is the kind of friend we (and thousands of readers) turn to for beauty fixes and real parenting advice…and lots of in-between. James sits down to answer all of our questions and now we’re loving her even more.

How do you start your day? Will you share your morning routine?
I typically wake up around 8 am. My husband, Aubrey, brings me coffee in bed (I love almond milk lattes). We get the kids ready for school and see them off. Most days I like to go for a 30 minute run before starting work. This isn’t always in the cards, but it definitely helps jump start my day. I work from home most days with my team, juggling several businesses and being a mom of four. I usually have a late breakfast around 11, and spend the rest of my workday in meetings, answering emails, and on set at photo shoots.

Do you live by a favorite mantra?
“It will all work out.”

Where do you go for your best inspiration?
Honestly some of my best ideas have been while in the shower. Haha. Music is also extremely inspiring.

What does a typical mother/child outing look like for you?
My big kids and I eat at our favorite Korean restaurant once a week, just the three of us. On the weekends, the whole family tries to get outside for some fresh air. We usually grab brunch and hit up the farmers’ market, flea market, or park.

How do you pamper yourself (when you’re lucky)?
90 minute massages at Escape day spa.

Do you have a favorite family meal?
My house is full of picky eaters, but everyone loves Mexican food so we usually settle on tacos.

What family traditions have carried over from your own childhood?
I don’t really have any from my own childhood, but I’ve enjoyed creating my own family traditions. For example, every Friday after school we take our kids to get a “Friday treat”, whether it is donuts or ice cream, to celebrate the weekend.

What part of motherhood brings you the most joy?
Watching my children grow and become their own strong individuals.

Which part of the life/motherhood/work balance do you do best? Which part do you “let go”?
I am really good at unplugging at nighttime and on the weekends to spend uninterrupted time with my husband and kids.

Do you have favorite parenting advice/helps for new mom friends?
Speak to your children, as you would like to be spoken to.

What, more than anything, do you want to pass on to [your child]?
I want them to know that they create their own happiness, and nothing or no one else can do that for them.

What’s your favorite parenting phase? Which is the most challenging?
Definitely the teenage phase. Luckily I have two incredible young adults who make my role as their mother easy. Don’t be scared! The most challenging is ages 3-6, when kids test limits, tell you no, and develop selective hearing.

Tell us your “must have” parenting product.
Definitely a sound machine (white noise) in the little kids’ room so they can sleep through the night undisturbed.

What is your biggest life accomplishment so far?
Other than raising four incredible little humans, I am most proud of Mother (mothermag.com), a hip parenting site I co-founded and edit.

Creative Halloween costumes while babywearing are so much fun! Last year, Frances and I dressed up as Little Bo Peep and her precious little sheep, which was a last minute costume that I pulled together from random things around my house but this year I really wanted to make sure I planned ahead so I bought this adorable bambi hoodie from Oeuf so she could keep warm while we celebrated with the older kids and still dress up. But the best part, is that she can continue to wear this even after Halloween.

Ayesha Curry is married to 2015 NBA Championship Winner, mom to Riley and Ryan, founder of Little Lights of Mine and a Solly Baby fan! In this recent feature on the Rachael Ray show, she talks about mom life, her daily struggles and some of the things that matter most to her.

Ayesha is beautiful inside and out and her down-to-Earth mama style really shines in the interview. Our favorite part was when she said, “At the end of the day, I am just a mom trying to keep everything together.”

The feeling of a new baby in your home is almost impossible to describe. Time seems to stand still for a moment and, even amidst crying and gas and sleeplessness, the beauty of the whole thing is almost intoxicating. Somehow Shelby Osmond captures it perfectly in this video. Like, I-should-probably-have-ten-more-babies-perfect. Check out more heavenly baby moments on her blog, Brandon and Shelby.

“A typical day for our family of six seems to change with the seasons…right now the older two kids are in school and soccer, while our spunky 4 year old, Hayden, has started preschool and dance. So some days are a little crazier than others, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. On a day when the three older kids are at school I really try to cherish those few hours I get alone with baby Houston, as I know how fast time passes us by. I have tried to take in those sweet moments when I’m feeding or bathing him. I don’t ever want to forget his smell, how little his feet and hands are, or the way he smiles after he has eaten.”

We are thrilled to announce that you can now purchase Solly Dolly wraps in Land of Nod retailers across the nation and directly on their site. The entire Solly Baby team loves shopping at Land of Nod for all our children’s furniture and toys because the products are high-quality and full of delight and whimsy so we couldn’t have imagined a better partnership as our first-ever major retailer for Solly Dolly wraps. I also stopped by the Land of Nod blog for a little interview where I share a little about Solly Baby and how the collaboration with Land of Nod came to be.

A typical day at home is often times a pretty simple one. Reading books before nap time is a ritual we delight in, Theodore always excited to grab books off of the old tin library cart in his room only to run across the floorboards into mama’s bed for snuggles. Alfie is a new part of our ritual, snug on my chest, feeling the rhythm of my breath and words as we bounce along the pages.

Third pregnancy means relaxed comfort to me, and so I mix my wardrobe favourites with some maternity basics to finish the style. Having two boys to take care of means flat shoes to run around in and combining this with dresses to feel pretty and comfortable. Instead of the usual nappy bag, I’ll use my favorite handmade leather tote and store the essentials in a stylish way.